Déja vu

Support a football team? Had your manager walk out over complaints that the big cheeses were messing with his transfer deals? Your sponsor’s gone bust?

Must be Newcastle, yes?

Erm, no. It’s West Ham United joining the club as their sponsor, XL Leisure Group, has just filed for administration almost a year to the day that Northern Rock kind of admitted their financial future wasn’t looking too rosey. At least they’ve just signed up a half-decent manager (possibly) in Gianfranco Zola. I always liked his football, good luck to them and him in his managerial position.

I notice, though, that the newspapers and so forth aren’t ripping the piss out of them for all this. Is this because their fans didn’t go as mental when Curbishley walked? Or because they’re another London team so less of a target? Or because Andy “******* ****” Grey doesn’t have an axe to grind with them for no readily apparent reason?

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• West Ham unveil Gianfranco Zola [telegraph.co.uk]
• Thousands of holidaymakers may be stranded as travel company XL ‘collapses’ [telegraph.co.uk]